Presently, the standard method of treatment for diagnosing external and middle ear infections requires a live in-person physician appointment and consultation. This is necessary for both the actual examination as well as for the diagnosis and management of a care plan. The patient usually must make an appointment, wait and eventually commute to the doctor's office; all of which takes a great deal of time and prolongs any potential injury.
A doctor will usually use an assortment of various test equipment such as thermometers, otoscopes, insufflators and tympanometers to diagnose the ailment. Thermometer readings can indicate if there is increased blood flow to the area due to inflammation or infection. Otoscopes, which typically include a light source and possibly a magnification lens, are commonly used to get a visual of the ear canal as well as test the mobility of the tympanic membrane (eardrum) by shooting a puff of air into the ear. The air can be powered electrically or manually by the use of a small bulb and tubing. Tympanometers or audiometers, which usually include headphones and a hardware circuit, can then be used to measure and diagnose the mobility of the eardrum and ossicles (conductive bones). The sound reflected back to this instrument can be used to diagnose otitis of the middle or external ear. The results of this test can also be graphed as a function of decibels over air pressure. The graphs can then be compared against the norm to reveal potential injuries such as perforation or scarring of the eardrum, buildup of wax or lack of contact between the conduction bones.
The presently disclosed device allows a patient to benefit from accurate and effective diagnosis of ear ailments through self examination and remote diagnosis. In this way, both time and expense are salvaged and lead to quicker diagnosis, which in effect can lead to faster recovery, healing and/or treatment.